Alex Yoder

“My favorite little known restaurant in Portland is Pho Corner, located on a triangular block on the south side of NE Sandy at 61st. Despite the name, I don’t order Pho there. I get the dish that is pictured on the front of the menu. Here is what this food item is like: It’s a bowl of room temperature vermicelli noodles with a bunch of fresh tasting stuff: cilantro, scallion, thinly sliced lettuce, lightly pickled carrots. It’s outstanding. But that is not the half of it. On top, there is pork, sliced thinly, skewered, and grilled. There is also shrimp, treated similarly. I kind of don’t want to tell you that this thing also has toasted ground peanuts and a whole spring roll in it. It does. But the best part? The part that does not allow me to order any other item on the menu? On the side they serve a 3 oz cup of the best tasting fish sauce that I ever encountered. Do they make this stuff? Do they import it? I never ask, I just pour the whole thing over the top. Doctor it up further with some house made hot sauces and you’re pretty happy.”